The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a connector connected to a motherboard of a large scale computer.
The configuration of a motherboard in a large scale computer is as shown in FIG. 1.
Numeral 1 indicates a motherboard.
A printed board 3 on which LSI's 2 are mounted is mounted on the underside of the motherboard 1 by means of a connector 4.
The motherboard 1 is fitted to a computer body frame 7 by means of a mounting frame 5 and a piece of metal fittings 6.
Numeral 8 indicates a ground frame fitted to the frame 7 by means of a connecting means 9 and provided across and separated from the surface of the motherboard 1, on which surface a printed board 3 is mounted.
A number of pins 9 corresponding to the LSI's 2 are provided so as to stand on the surface of the motherboard 1 facing the ground frame 8.
Numeral 10 indicates a metal connector guide having a grid-like structure as shown in FIG. 2. The connector guide is fitted to the surface of the motherboard 1 facing the ground frame 8 and connected to the metal fittings 6.
Numeral 11 indicates a connection part arranged in a matrix. A predetermined number of pins 9 are provided in the connection part 11. This way, the pins 9 are divided into blocks of a predetermined number of pins.
As shown in FIG. 1, a connector 13 at the end of a cable 12 is plugged into the respective connection part 11.
This way, a matrix results in which the connectors 13 are very closely arranged lengthwise and breadthwise.
The other end of the cable 12 is connected to another unit (not shown).
Recently, with an increase in processing speed of large computers, motherboards have become miniaturized.
This has resulted in the reduction of pitches utilized in the connector mounting operation. Now, miniaturization of the connector itself is desired.
It is also to be noted that the number of pins 9 has been increasing with improvement of the function of the large scale computer. Accordingly, the cable diameter tends to be larger. Thus, a stopper means incorporated into the connector also needs to be made smaller.
FIG. 3 shows a conventional connector 20 described in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 1-113977.
Numeral 21 indicates a connector main body, and 22 a cable.
A latch lever 23 is built into the connector main body 21.
The latch lever 23 comprises a hook part 23a at one end thereof and a handle part 23b at the other end thereof, and is pivotally supported near the center thereof by means of a pin 24.
The connector 20 is guided by the connector guide 10 so as to be plugged into the connection part 11. The hook part 23a engages an engaging part 25 in the connection part 11 so that the connector is prevented from being pulled.
The latch lever 23 is built into a space 26 delineated by the cable 22 and the sides of the connector main body 21.
The latch lever 23 is formed by bending a sheet metal in a complicated manner; the size of the latch lever is relatively large.
Thus, a relatively large (about 10 mm) depth A in the above-mentioned space 26 results.
This means a relatively large (about 20 mm) width B of the connector 20.
A diameter C of the cable 22 is about 6 mm.
Predictably, the width of the connector will become larger as the diameter of the cable increases with expansion of the functions of large scale computers.